Brilliant striker Finn Allen showed off his powerhouse sixes as well as his cricket smarts with a one-day career-best 168 off just 110 balls to set up an unforgettable victory for the Auckland Aces at Eden Park's Kennards Hire Community Oval, this afternoon.

Playing for his home city in a white-ball format for the first time since his return from the Wellington Firebirds, Allen took charge of the chase to help his side overcome the Otago Volts' none-too-shabby total of 268 for seven in the second-round clash.

It was revenge for the Aces who had suffered a first-up loss to the same team last Saturday, but now the boot was on the other foot - and they were sticking it in.

Volts captain Dean Foxcroft won the toss on a sticky Auckland morning, and was one of three batters from his own side to raise his bat for a half ton.

With a 73-run stand with young gun Thorn Parkes for the fourth wicket, Foxcroft steadied the ship after Auckland's pacemen chipped off the first three wickets early, at 53/3 in the 17th over.

After the captain's demise, Parkes then supported a century stand for the fifth wicket with Llew Johnson who smashed an explosive 68 off just 38 rocks.

Johnson, a big striker, hit five sixes and five boundaries in the blink of an eye, until he went to lap Danru Ferns and was caught behind.

But all that was just an entrée for the lucky fans who got to watch one of the biggest knocks in the Auckland Aces' 50-plus years of one-day history.

This was the Finn Allen Show. While the tall 24-year-old's ability to slap a ball out of the park is well known (and he did it 11 times today); this was a well constructed and sweetly paced innings where intent and concentration was married to his muscular might.

Still, the butterfly tattooed on his forearm might be a hint that this is one player who can sting like a bee.

Allen's maiden List A hundred had been for the Wellington Firebirds in February 2021: a mere 128 off 59 balls. That lightning knock (also against the Volts) contained 11 sixes, and he equalled that six-tally today. Only Jamie How (Central Stags) and Colin Munro (Aces) have ever hit more in a Ford Trophy innings.

Allen's first fifty flew off 39 balls (5x4, 3x6). The century came in 86 balls (11x4, 3x6). And the 150, as he put the foot down, 105 balls (12x4, 9x6).

As he kept on going, the wind whipping the sweat off his forehead, people held their breath. Would he break Colin Munro's Auckland Aces record unbeaten 174? Could he even become just the second man to score a Ford Trophy 200 (after Jamie How's 222 at Seddon Park, 10 years ago)?

What a spoilsport Travis Muller was when he finally trapped him on 168, with the Aces 267/3 in the 46th over.

Allen had almost batted through the whole chase for the second highest individual score in his team's one-day history, and walked back to an ovation. Robbie O'Donnell (an unbeaten 46*) had given him support, and would finish the job with captain Sean Solia just five balls later.

It was the Aces' first win of the season in any format.

Written by Margot Butcher
Article added: Friday 01 December 2023